A blast from the past: French couple exhibits 3,000 objects from World War One

French collector Serge Giudice holds a Verdun medal, a French commemorative medal and a German Iron cross, as he shows their collection of WWI memorabilia at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

BALMA, France (Reuters) - Vases carved out of shrapnel are displayed next to soldiers' uniforms and a warplane figurine made out of the remains of a Zeppelin: welcome to the World War One-themed home of Chantal and Serge Giudice.

The two French collectors are preparing to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war by opening up to visitors their home and the 3,000 or so objects it contains related to the 1914-1918 conflict.

The Giudices, from the town of Balma, near Toulouse in southwestern France, have been collecting the souvenirs for more than 20 years, a passion stemming from 56-year-old Chantal Giudice's childhood.

A detail of a WWI French soldier's uniform, part of a collection of WWI memorabilia, is pictured at a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

"Instead of playing with dolls, I've always been surrounded by uniforms, military equipment," she said. "That passion took me over and it has never left me since."

Mannequins dressed in uniforms worn by soldiers and nurses during World War One are scattered around the house, in a collection that aims to recall the violence of the era, said her husband, Serge Giudice, 66.

Posters calling on troops to head to the trenches hang on the walls, next to figurines carved out by soldiers in the trenches from bullets and shells.

French collector Serge Giudice cleans an helmet on a mannequin wearing a uniform of a French soldier from World War One (known as a Poilu) as he shows his collection of WWI memorabilia at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

"With objects from the war, they succeeded in creating marvellous objects, true pieces of art," Chantal Giudice said.

(Reporting by Regis Duvignau; Writing by Ardee Napolitano and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Gareth Jones)

The collection of WWI memorabilia by French collectors Serge and Chantal Guidice is seen at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Artisanal works made in the trenches are displayed among a collection of WWI memorabilia at a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A 1914 medical book is displayed among a collection of WWI memorabilia at a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice hold a WWI German helmet as they pose among their collection of WWI memorabilia at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collector Serge Giudice poses in a room dedicated to their collection of WWI memorabilia at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A porcelain depicting a pig with a German helmet, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collector Serge Giudice holds a Verdun medal, part of a collection of WWI memorabilia, at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice adjust a mannequin depicting a WWI French soldier as they pose among their collection of WWI memorabilia in their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Artisanal works made in the trenches are displayed among a collection of WWI memorabilia at a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A detail of an uniform of a WWI French soldier , part of a collection of WWI memorabilia, is pictured in a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A combination picture shows objects from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A WWI poster which reads "General order of deployment", part of a collection of WWI memorabilia, is pictured in a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice display a WWI poster as they show their collection of WWI memorabilia in their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Vases carved out of shrapnel, part of a collection of WWI memorabilia, are displayed in a private home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collector Chantal Giudice holds a warplane figurine created from the remains of a German Zeppelin wrecked in Revigny in 1916, made by a WWI French soldier, as she shows their collection of WWI memorabilia in their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collector Serge Giudice holds a vase carved out of shrapnel as he poses among his collection of WWI memorabilia at their house in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

French collector Chantal Giudice adjusts a mannequin wearing an uniform of a WWI French nurse next to a military doctor as she shows their collection of WWI memorabilia at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A plate depicting the face of French politician Georges Clemenceau, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A pitcher, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A vase made in the trenches by the Poilus, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A cap of a WWI French officer, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A mannequin wearing a French WWI army uniform, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Vases carved out of shrapnel, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A French army helmet, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Mannequins wearing WWI uniforms for a nurse and a military doctor, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, are displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

A lighter, from the WWI memorabilia collection of French collectors Serge and Chantal Giudice, is displayed at their home in Balma near Toulouse, France, October 26, 2018 before the centennial commemoration of the First World War Armistice Day. For more than 20 years, Serge Giudice and his wife Chantal have been collecting more than 3000 objects and documents from the World War One, as unique pieces made in the trenches by the Poilus. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau